There are many ways to get involved with a public art project. If you are interested in public art projects, the most important thing is to be proactive.
The idea of an art competition is to find ideas for an artwork to be produced for a specific site. Participating in art competitions is a good way to get started with public art though competitions require more work from the artist.
There are two types of competitions: open art competition and invitational. As the name implies, an open art competition is open to everyone. In an invitational, a pre-defined group of artists is invited to take part in the competition.
Read more about participating in the art competition here.
Call for artists is usually used when commissioning body is looking for a large variety of artists. In this type of call is not usual to send a specific proposal, but they are more interested to see your resume, portfolio and letter of interest. Make sure to follow the instructions about the content and submission provided in the call.
There are several artist databases where artists interested in public art can create their own profile. Some of the databases are open for local artists only so make sure you know for whom the database is for. Look for international databases too, for example there is one for the artists working in the Nordic countries. Remember to update your profile regularly!
For an artist, professional networking is always worthwhile. Networks are created over the years and it is important to take care of the existing networks while getting new ones. Networking includes developing one’s own skills, updating professional skills and passing on information.
From the point of view of public art, get to know with the public art professionals and architects. These contacts can be made in professional occasions, as students or even free time. Good places for networking are for example events and seminars. Be active!
TIP! If you have not produced any public art yet, you can publish old competition entries, other sketches or earlier works that would be suitable for public artworks.
Sources:
Public Art Commissions: An Artist Handbook. A Publication of the North Carolina Arts Council.